Oakfield schools forging ahead after failed referendum

Apr. 26, 2013

Students at Oakfield Elementary School, from left: Alexis Kamenski and Ayden Killam, both age 10, and Maddison Freund, 9, work on a smart board as they tackle a differentiated math lesson. / Patrick Flood/The Reporter Media

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The Reporter Media

Students are emerged in a Daily 5 reading and writing lesson in their first grade class at Oakfield Elementary School. Taught by Barbara Deer, each student is engaged in either reading or writing. / Patrick Flood/The Reporter Media

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OAKFIELD — Rural school districts share some common challenges.

More so than other school districts they experience declining enrollment, rising property values, low median income and higher transportation costs, said State Superintendent Tony Evers.

In the small community of Oakfield, school officials are putting together a plan to move forward after a failed referendum.

Earlier this month voters in the Oakfield School District turned down a $2.7 million operating referendum to exceed state revenue limits. The average shortfall over the next three years is expected to be more than $1 million annually, said Superintendent Pam Yoder.

The district will have to come back with another referendum in fall, Yoder said, but this time it will be under new leadership. Yoder has taken a position as Superintendent of the Bellville School District because, she says, it is closer to her home in Madison.

“I have enjoyed being in this district and I am going to miss everyone,” Yoder said. “This (move) is really for personal reasons.”

Retired Superintendent Joe Heinzelman, who took on a temporary role as middle school/high school principal in July 2012, has also announced his resignation.

“There’s a lot of things that need to be done curriculum-wise and that is not my strength,” he said. “The district needs someone younger with strength in that area.”

School Board President Penny Kottke said the district will be looking to hire two full-time principals and a half-time superintendent. Yoder also served as the elementary principal.

Kottke says she is optimistic the community will rally to maintain quality education. About 526 students attend Oakfield schools from areas that include the Villages of Oakfield and Lamartine, and towns of Fond du Lac and Byron. Of those, 87 students attend the district through open enrollment (37 students in Oakfield attend other school districts through open enrollment).

“The last time we lost a referendum the first time around we got the pulse of the community and this allowed us to understand,” she said. “There is a lot of change going on in education and change is good but it is hard. Our district, along with other districts, are all in the same boat.”

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Other districts

Horicon School Superintendent Gary Berger said the district can’t reduce costs fast enough because of the many fixed costs associated with running a district. In 2012, taxpayers approved a $2.85 million referendum to fund various projects including a building addition, remodeling, routine maintenance and technology enhancements.

“When we go to our taxpayers for additional revenues, we often feel like beggars,” Berger said. “The reality is that we are trying to sustain an appropriate education for our students.”

In Campbellsport where 1,420 students are enrolled, the general fund budget is $14.2 million, approximately $1.8 million under the revenue limit.

“However, we have lost more than $1.3 million in state aid over the past four years,” said Superintendent Dan Olson. “Our board has chosen to reduce expenditures rather than increase local property taxes.”

The Rosendale-Brandon School District faces financial challenges. In the past two years the district has cut more than $1.3 million dollars from the budget and is still facing a $500,000 shortfall.

“This is despite the fact that our expenditures are less now than five years ago,” said Superintendent Gary Hanson. “There are no places to turn other than to the public next spring to seek their approval through a referendum to disregard the state’s arbitrarily imposed revenue cap.”

Collaboration

At a recent community chat session hosted by the Oakfield School District, teachers spoke about the need to collaborate with the School Board.

Teachers have always had a good working relationship with the board and staff wanted to make sure lines of communication are kept open, said Jen Harrison, president of the Oakfield Education Association.

“With the resignation of our administrators we obviously have some busy times ahead as a district. There is going to be a lot of change in the near future, but we are a very dedicated staff and are confident that we will continue to provide high quality education for all of the students in our district,” she said.

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Layoff notices must be sent to teachers by April 30. Kottke said the Board is still discussing the next steps to cut $600,000 from the budget.

Consolidation

A summer remodeling project will prepare facilities to accommodate the sixth-grade transition to the middle school/high school building. Project costs are estimated at $150,000.

Moving the sixth grade will save the cost of paying for one teacher, Kottke said

Heinzelman, who has been with the school district since 1992, said everyone is trying to figure out how to best move forward with all the changes.

“These are great people here and I feel positive about the future of the district,” he said. “When push comes to shove, the people in this community want their own school district and they will support it.”

In the long run, small rural school districts have many advantages over larger neighboring districts, Berger said.

“Parents have often chosen the lifestyle of a small community over a big city because of those advantages. Consolidation of smaller districts into one larger district creates many new challenges and does not necessarily reduce costs,” he said.